The American Red Cross is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides various humanitarian services for free. The three most important concepts that the organization should consider are the mission statement, the recruitment of other volunteers, and the capability to maintain fiscal control. These concepts will enable the American Red Cross to remain consistent with its goals on a long term basis and to further enhance its capabilities in the face of pressing situations.
It is said that “strategic plans can never be well developed until the organization is clear on its fundamental mission” (13). Since the American Red Cross mainly deals with complex disasters affecting local communities, among others, the organization should strive to lay down its core missions and to remain guided by them in every activity. Doing so will help the organization avoid running into situations it should not have involved itself in the first place. This correlates with the need to maintain fiscal control.
That is, sticking to the fundamental missions of the organization will prevent it from using resources on activities it does not have anything to do with in the first place. It is also said that “monitoring the financial condition of the organization is a responsibility that neither can nor should be delegated” (50). Thus, the executive officers should strive to keep track of the financial condition of the American Red Cross. Since the organization is essentially a volunteer group, its resources are limited.
Consequently, it is only prudent for the organization executives to take full charge of the financial planning and to allocate resources properly and efficiently. Doing so can save the organization from financial troubles and help it continue its existence. It is also essential for the American Red Cross to recruit other volunteer leaders. However, the organization should not compromise quality with quantity. In other words, the organization should still see to it that newly recruited volunteers are committed to the fundamental mission of the group.
There is more reason to expect new prospective board members to be attuned to the goals of the American Red Cross. This is because “the future of the organization depends on the quality of new board members” (36). These three concepts, when combined and applied correctly, can help the American Red Cross survive any trials to the group. The organization shall be able to provide humanitarian services to more needy people without misallocating or misusing its limited resources. In the end, the future of the organization will have to largely depend on the people behind it.
